A Different Kind of Justice
by jean d'arc
Summary: The assassin that came for Bran is caught alive and the Starks learn the truth behind Bran's accident and the assassination attempt much sooner. Cat does not leave for King's Landing, but they take care of things from Winterfell instead. As a result, the story changes drastically.
1. The Attack

**_1. The Attack_**

_Ned had just got up and brought breakfast for her in bed. Apple juice, biscuits, pieces of bacon, lemon cakes, orange cakes, bread, dried fruit. He could be so sweet sometimes. That was her secret. To everybody else he was cold and distant and impersonal. But not to her. She knew the true Ned Stark. Those grey eyes turned soft just for her. His lips twitched into a smile just for her. He crawled back into the cold empty space he had left vacant in the bed and they started digging into the tray. One by one the children started coming to her room. First Sansa brought Rickon who had been crying to her about some giant who had been following him while he was alone in the forest; another nightmare of his overactive imagination. Then both Arya and Bran ran in together yelling "She started it" "No, he did". Yet, as soon as they saw they tray with the food they forgot about their quarrels and started eating. Finally, Robb stepped into the room. The bed squeaked under the weight of the whole Stark family. – _

No. Catelyn's head suddenly jerked awake. It was all a dream, she thought ruefully. Ned had gone south with the King and taken the girls with him. Bran was lying helpless in this bed, unable to wake, unable to move. All she could do was hold his hand and watch his chest rise and fall; still breathing. Robb was acting Lord of Winterfell and she hadn't seen Rickon in a couple of days. While taking care of Bran she had disregarded her youngest son. Her family had fallen apart.

Robb came into the room and started opening the windows.

"Mother, it's a bit stuffy in here. Let me open the windows"

"No!" she exclaimed. "Bran needs to be warm"

"And you need to sleep"

"I have slept"

"Not in a chair and not kneeling in front of Bran's bed. Mother, you need to go to your room and sleep in your own bed"

"No! What if he dies and I'm not here?"

"Mother, he's not going to die. Maester Luwin said so"

"He could be wrong. I need to be here. I need to stay here. Bran needs me"

"So does Rickon! So do I"

"No! I can't leave", she said, her eyes wide and unfocused. She looked pale, her face was gaunt, her lips thin and chipped, and her hair was a mess.

"Mother, you're not thinking straight, please-"

"No! And close the damned windows. It's too cold. It's too loud! Those wolves. I hate them. Make sure they stay outside. And shut them up. Please. I need to stay"

"The dogs are barking" Robb said as he approached the window again. "Fire. There's a fire! I'll be right back, Mother".

She never saw her son leaving, she only had eyes for Bran. She had closed herself to anything that was not Bran. So, she never heard the footsteps behind her. She saw a shadow on the bed and turned around.

"You were not supposed to be here" the man said and pulled out a dagger. "No one was supposed to be here."

He was a small, dirty man in filthy brown clothes and he stank of horses. She had never seen this man. She looked at the knife and then at Bran. "No!" she said and tried to push the man away.

"It's a mercy" he said. "He's dead already"

"No!" she cried and lunged at the man.

He pushed her aside and started coming at her with the knife. He wielded it right and left as she tried to protect herself with her arms.

"No! Go away!" she cried. "Help!"

"Shut up!"

He came at her again and grabbed her by the hair. He put the knife to her throat and the other hand clamped down over her mouth to keep her quiet. She reached up with both hands and grabbed the dagger with all her strength. She could feel the blade biting into her fingers and her hands getting slippery with blood. Twisting her head sideways she was able to free her mouth and bit hard on his hand. He let go of her with a cry and kicked her in the gut. Spitting a piece of flesh and blood she had in her mouth she barely had time to duck as he came at her with the knife again. He managed to cut her on her right thigh as his hand came down with the blade and then slashed upwards on her stomach and breast as he swung up. Blood was flowing freely from her hands, her body and her leg and she made one more attempt to push him. Yelling and cursing she lunged for him again, but he caught her and threw her on the floor. He straddled her and grabbed both her hands in his. The hand still holding the knife came down on her and she felt as the blade cut through skin and flesh on her side. The pain came a few seconds later. Yet, before either of them had time to react, the door to Bran's room burst open.

"Step away form her!" Robb said and he entered the room followed by Theon, Roddrick Cassel and three guards. "Get Maester Lwuin. Tell him to bring his medical kit" he said to one of the guards.

Between the two guards and Theon they grabbed the mercenary and tied his hands. Robb was tending to his mother when the guard showed up with Maester Lewin.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Theon shouted at the man, who remained silent. "You can stay quiet now, but you will talk. Let's take him to the dungeons".

"Robb, you go too" said Maester Lwuin. "Cassell, stay with me. Help me with the Lady."

As Robb, Theon and the guards left with the men, Maester Lwuin told Cassell "I needed the boy gone. This may turn ugly. The second I remove the blade, blood will start flowing out. I need you to put your hand on the wound to prevent her from bleeding out"

She gave an ear-piercing shriek as Maester Lwuin removed the blade and her eyes shot open.

"Lady Stark, easy. You have been attacked but you'll be fine. We're taking you to your chambers" Roddrick Cassell said as he lifted her in his arms.

"No! I need to stay here! Was Bran attacked? Is he alright?" she yelled.

"He was not hurt. But you, on the other hand-"

"Leave me! Go check on him! Please Maester Lwuin, go check on Bran" she pleaded.

"Your boy is fine. But you're bleeding out. If I don't see to you now it may be too late. Let's go to your chambers" he said softly

"No! I can't leave Bran! I can't leave my son!"

Maester Lwuin looked at Cassell and nodded towards Bran's bed. He was a small boy, there was plenty of room left on his bed for his mother. They put Lady Stark on Bran's bed and while Maester Lwuin started to assess her wounds, Cassell started lighting all the candles.

Her eyes were closed and she was not moving. They removed her clothes and started cleaning the wounds. The most worrisome was the stab wound she had on her left side. Because of the location of the wound, Maester Lwuin didn't think the blade had pierced any vital organ, but he wasn't sure. He applied stitches and moved on to the next. There was a long gash crossing her body diagonally from just above the left hip to her right breast. Stitching that up proved to be more difficult as she kept stirring and blood kept flowing faster than they could clean it up. Then they moved to the gash on her thigh, her arms and finally to her hands. The blade was obviously sharp. It had pierced her fingers to the bone. Master Lwuin was afraid she might never recover full dexterity of her left hand.

"I can see why you didn't want the boy here" Cassell said to Maester Lwuin. "I almost wish I hadn't been here myself"

TBC


	2. The Mercenary

Anarra and jman007 thank you for your reviews. And thank you all for reading the story.

Jman007: as for having the wolf in the scene with the man .. I felt that without Bran controlling the wolf nobody would be able to stop it from killing the man, and then he wouldn't be available for questioning (which takes place im this capter)

_**2. The Mercenary**_

It was dark and humid in the dungeons, and very cold. With their furs and cloak Robb and his men felt very warm. The same could not be said of the shirtless man chained to the wall. His face had been punched beyond recognition and his stomach sported a collection of purplish and blackish shades.

"I'll ask you again. Why were you here?" said the prison guard, this time with a whip in his hand.

"Please stop. Don't! It was the Queen. It was Cersei Lannister. She wanted me to make sure the boy was dead. Please, no more!" he cried in the end.

"Put him down and take him back to his cell" Robb told the guard.

He went upstairs to his brother's room. Now he had two people to look after. They had placed an extra bed in Bran's room for his mother; it was easier to take care of them if they were in the same room.

"How are they?" he asked Old Nan.

"Much the same, young Lord. The boy still sleeps, but his eyes move. Your mother hasn't woken yet, but she will soon. She has started to moan and stir."

He approached Bran and held his hand. "Come on brother, open up those eyes. Wake up. I miss you. I need you. We need you"

Then he went to his mother. "Mother, I know I told you to sleep, but I think three days is enough. Wake up mother, please. I don't know what else to do with Rickon, he clings to me all day. He needs you. I need you."

"Mhh" Catelyn moaned and started to open her eyes.

"Mother, come on! Wake up. Nan, she's awake! Go get Maester Lwuin!" he told Old Nan.

"Robb, what happened?" she asked him, but as she tried to move she stopped suddenly and gasped for air. "It hurts" she added faintly.

"Don't move. Maester Lwuin is coming"

"We were attacked. How is Bran?" she asked

"Bran is fine. You thwarted the attack. The man is in the dungeons now. We also found his hiding spot in the stables. Nobody recognized him, he's not from Winterfell. He must have come with the King's party and hid in the stables after they left.".

"I remember. He had a knife."

"Yes, and he hurt you pretty bad."

"Was anybody else hurt?"

"No, just you"

"You look tired Robb. Have you slept?" his mother asked him as she awkwardly tried to caress his face with her bandaged hands.

"Ha! I tried to get you to sleep for almost two weeks and now you're asking me" he laughed sweetly.

"I'm sorry Robb. For the way I behaved before. I completely ignored you and Rickon. I shut you out. How is he?

"Fine. He misses you. Do you want me to get him?"

"Yes, but not now. Stay. How long have I been sleeping?"

"Three days"

"That's a long time. I guess I really must have been tired" she smiled. And the she held his hand "I'm sorry Robb, for abandoning you like that. I don't know what came over me. I was crazy"

"Mad, hysterical, unreasonable, irrational" he added and gave her a kiss on her forehead "But you're fine now"

"Yes, I'm fine. So, what did the man in the dungeons have to say?"

"That he had been sent by Cersei Lannister."

"The Queen?"

"Yes, to make sure Bran died"

"I need to go talk to him" she said and tried to get up.

"Mother, no!" Robb tried to hold her and then more hands appeared to help him. He turned around and saw that his most trusted men had just entered the room.

"You're going no where, my Lady" said Roddrick Cassell.

"My lady, how are you feeling?" asked Maester Lwuin

"Fine. Well, sore. It hurts all over, but I'm fine"

"Let's take it slow. You were badly hurt. You were stabbed on your side. You had a deep gash from your hip up to almost your shoulder and another one on your leg. Your fingers were almost slashed. You need to take it easy" Maester Lwuin said authoritatively. "Let me inspect the wounds. Everybody out"

Instead of waiting out in the hall way while Maester Lwuin cleaned his mother's wounds and changed the bandages, Robb and Roddrick Cassell decided to go to the kitchens to fetch some food and drinks for her. She must surely be hungry and thirsty.

"When my mother was attacked, Maester Lwuin kicked me out of the room. He didn't want me there. How bad was it?" Robb asked his father's friend.

"Bad, my lord. She was bleeding a lot and had been severely wounded. It was best that you weren't there"

"Thank you, Roddrick"

By the time they made it back to the room, her mother was sitting on the bed talking to Maester Lwuin. First she took a small sip of the water and then she wolfed down the food washing it down with a gulp of water every three or four bites.

"If you had been taking care of yourself like I asked you before the attack, you wouldn't be this hungry, Mother".

"I know. And I'll say it again, I'm sorry".

"It's alright Mother, I'm just glad you're back to being you again"

"So, Cersei" his mother said pensively "I wonder why she could want Bran dead. Do you think she pushed him out of the tower as well"

"The thought did cross my mind. But why? Do you think he saw something?

"If he did, whatever he saw happened in that tower. I went there myself after Bran's accident and didn't see anything out of the ordinary" she said. "I'm going to talk to the man myself." And after receiving a chastising look from the three men in the room she added "Tomorrow."

The following day with the aid of Theon, Robb walked his mother down to the dungeons.

"My Lady, I never meant to hurt you" the man said

"Of course you didn't. I just happened to fall on your knife. Numerous times. Why did you want to kill Bran?"

"I told your son already. The Queen sent me"

"That's' who, not why", she insisted.

"I don't know milady"

"It's a fine blade" she said toying with the knife. She pressed her fingers to the edge "Sharp, very sharp. But you already knew that. With gold ornaments and sapphires. Was this part of the pay?"

"Yes-sss" he trembled as she put the knife to his shoulder.

"Mother!" exclaimed Robb

His mother ignored him and continued "I have a wound here" and she pressed on his chest lightly but strong enough to draw blood. "Here" she continued down his body to his hips. "Here" and she pressed a little stronger on his stomach. "And here" she said drawing the knife to then man's leg.

Robb looked at her and was afraid; not for the man, he couldn't care less if she hacked him to pieces, but for his own mother and her sanity. His mother seemed to have lost it.

"Mother, why don't we.."

"Robb, stay out of this" she said firmly. "How much was the pay? How much was my son worth?"

"They paid me five thousand pieces of gold and promised me another five thousand when the deed was done"

"You said They. Who is They?"

"The Queen"

"No" and she pressed the knife to his testicles.

"Jaime. Ser Jamie Lannister. Please stop"

"Robb, I'm tired. Bran needs to rest, as well. Can you take me to my chambers, please."

"Yes" he uttered still in awe of what his mother had done.

"Mother, that was unbelievable. I never thought you had it in you to do something like that" Robb told his mother as he helped her to bed.

"That was amazing Lady Stark" said Theon with pride.

"I don't fell particularly amazed right now. What I did was despicable, but it had to be done" she replied matter-of-factly. "So Jamie Lannister is in on it as well. Maybe Jamie and Cersei were talking in the tower and Bran overheard them"

"Maybe he saw them do something" added Robb

"Maybe they were doing it. You know …it" said Theon as he made an obscene gesture with his hands.

"Theon, that is very inappropriate in front of a Lady" Cassell chastised him.

"Inappropriate or not, he may be right" said Lady Stark.

"If the Lannisters are behind two assassination attempts on your son, I believe your husband should be warned, my Lady" interjected Maester Luwin.

"I'll start writing him a letter. They are probably very close to King's Landing as we speak if not already there. We can send a raven" Robb said.

"Yes" said his mother "I also need to write a letter myself"

"To father?"

"No, to the Queen".

TBC


	3. Two Letters

**_Thank you all for reading and following the story. _**

**_Dear guest: We don't really know who sent the assassin after Bran. I personally don't think it was Jamie, it might have been Cersei, but I don't know. I see no reason for Joffrey to do it (he didn't know about his father's true identity and what Bran had seen). In any case, for this story I decided to make it Jamie and Cersei because it fitted the plot. I hope that this change does not put you off reading the story. Thanks for reading it and taking your time to comment ;) _**

**_3. Two Letters. _**

"Welcome back to the Palace King Robert. How was your journey in the North?"

"Long and tedious. Did I miss anything important?" the King asked Master Pycelle.

"Well, actually a raven came yesterday."

"People can't even give me a day's rest. I just arrive and they already want to notify me of things. As if I cared for what they have to tell me. So, where's the message?"

"It was not for you, your Grace. There were two letters from Winterfell. One for your wife and one for Lord Stark".

"Well, go. Deliver them."

Ned Stark sat in his new office reading the letter that had just arrived for him. He hadn't even started unpacking when the messenger brought him the parchment. The seal was the direwolf of Winterfell and it hadn't been broken. That was good, considering what it said:

_From: Lord Robb Stark of Winterfell_

_To: Lord Eddard Stark, Hand of the King_

_Father, _

_There has been an attack in the castle. We have news that may be of importance. It is imperative that you and my sisters come back. _

_Your son, _

_Robb Stark_

Ned wracked his brain. What could have happened? An attack on Winterfell? By whom? Boltons? Ironborn? The White walkers that deserter from the Night's Watch had been talking about? He shuddered at the thought. Was somebody hurt? Robb hadn't say much, but he did imply a certain kind of urgency. He didn't give it a second thought and he went straight to his friend Robert and asked him for leave to go back home. At King Robert's insistence he showed him the parchment and vowed to keep him abreast of any possible danger to the rest of the realm.

Getting permission from the King had been easy compared to what he had to do now. He knew Arya would be happy to go back. Now Sansa was a different story.

"Why do we have to go back?" she cried. "We just got here. And I can't leave Joffrey. He's my betrothed."

"He'll be here when we come back", her father said. "But now we have to go. Something happened at home. For all I know your brothers or your mother could be hurt."

"Well, Robb is obviously not hurt, he wrote the letter. Bran can't get hurt, he's in bed. And if Mother and Rickon had been hurt, Robb would have told you."

"Sansa, enough. We are leaving."

This time he decided to make the trip by boat. It was faster and safer. He only took his personal guard with his family and left a contingent of his men for the City Watch.

"Jamie, I'm telling you. They know. They know it was us. They know we pushed the boy out of the window. They know we sent the assassin. They probably already know about us!"

"Cersei, calm down" Jamie told her in a soothing tone. "How can they know? We were very careful. The boy will never wake up, and if he does I don't think he'll remember a thing. His brain is probably smashed. And nobody else saw us"

"The assassin. He failed. They have the blade. Didn't you read the letter?" she said holding the parchment in her trembling hands.

_From: Lady Catelyn Stark_

_To: Queen Cersei Baratheon. _

_My dearest Cersei, _

_Thank you so much for the gift. It's a lovely blade, forged in Valyrian steel, with gold and sapphires. Hopefully one day I'll be able to return the favour. _

_With love, your good friend, _

_Catelyn Stark. _

TBC

_**Thank you for reading. **_

_**comments and reviews are appreciated. **_

_**thanks. **_


	4. Piecing it all together

**_4. Piecing it all together. _**

"Father, welcome back" Robb addressed his father as they stood just inside the walls of Winterfell. "Arya, Sansa. Welcome home" he said as he hugged his sisters.

"Rickon! Mother!" shouted Sansa and both girls went up to their mother. "How's Bran?"

"Still sleeping, although Maester Lwuin thinks he should be waking soon. Would you like to see him?"

"Robb, meet me in the solar, there are things we need to discuss" his father told him. "I'm going to check on Bran and I'll meet you there".

As they were going to Bran's room, Ned stopped Catelyn and held her bandaged hands. "Robb said Winterfell had been attacked, but he never mentioned who had been attacked. What happened?"

Catelyn kissed his hands and looked at him. He put his hands on her face and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I missed you" they both said at the same time and smiled at each other.

"Let's go see Bran and then let's meet Robb in my solar. We can talk there. Then, you're all mine, my wife".

"I'm all yours, my Lord" she smiled back.

Just as Catelyn had said, Bran's situation hadn't changed much. He did look better than the last time they had seen him. He had more color to his face. His deathly pallor was gone and so were the scrapes and cuts and bruises. To any who did not know better he just appeared to be sleeping.

"Come on, Bran, you have to wake up!" Arya cried to his sleeping form and started shaking him. .

"Arya, stop it! You're going to hurt him!" Sansa admonished her sister.

"How can I hurt him? I'm just moving him a little to help him wake up" she retorted.

"Alright, both of you, behave" Ned told them. "You've seen him, now off with you. Go unpack" and after they had left he turned to his wife "They just can't stop fighting. What did we do wrong with these two?"

"We did nothing wrong" she laughed. "I actually missed all their bickering and arguing"

"So, do you think he'll really wake up soon?"

"I don't know. Master Lwuin seems to think so. He does look better. With every passing day he's gaining color and his features are coming back. But he's just so still. The only thing that moves is his chest. For six weeks Ned, just watching his chest rise and fall. I can't do this for much longer."

Ned squeezed her hands and when she yelped in pain, he let go. "I'm sorry. Let's go to my solar so we can talk".

"Robb, acting Lord of Winterfell" his father teased him as they walked in and found him sitting on the chair at the head of the table.

"It's all yours Father, you are Lord of Winterfell now" and he quickly stood up.

"But he did very well in your absence, Ned" Catelyn interjected.

"So, what happened? You said Winterfell had been attacked."

"Yes, father. About three weeks after you left, there was a fire in the library. It was just a distraction to get us all out of Bran's room. But Mother didn't leave. She actually never left the room since Bran's fall" and at this Catelyn looked at her son apologetically and than stared at the floor. "It was an assassin. He had a dagger and he meant to kill Bran, but Mother stopped him."

"You fought an assassin? With your bare hands?" he asked his wife beaming with pride and she nodded.

"So, after that, we apprehended him and took him to the dungeons. We made him talk. He had been sent by Cersei and Jamie Lannister. We think Bran was climbing a tower and either saw or heard these two doing something they were obviously not supposed to do and they pushed him off the tower. Then when he didn't die, they sent an assassin to silence him in case he woke up. We had to warn you Father. You and my sisters were not safe in King's Landing surrounded by these people."

"You did well, my son"

"Well, I'll leave you two to discuss important official matters I'm sure you have. I'm going to see the girls" Catelyn said before she turned around and left the solar.

"Father, there's something else you should know. It's about Mother."

"What about her?" Ned asked concerned. "Is she alright?"

"She is now. Father, she went mad. After you were gone, she didn't step out of Bran's room for three weeks. She was acting irrational. She wasn't eating, she wasn't sleeping. She was ignoring everything that was not Bran, and that includes Rickon and I. She was not making any sense."

"She was worried about your brother, that is all"

"No, Father, it was more than that. When the assassin came she fought him, but she got really hurt. The man stabbed her and cut her many times. And when Maeter Luwin tried to tend to her she screamed that she didn't want to leave Bran's room. We had to put her on his bed and then we had to place an extra bed in the room so that she could be there. She slept for three days. When she woke up she headed directly to the dungeons. We had already questioned the prisoner and he had told us Queen Cersei had sent him. But then Mother came and threatened him with the same dagger. She hurt him Father. She looked possessed. But she got more information out of him. She got him to admit the Kingslayer was also involved. She was fine after that. She was back to her usual self. But I was very worried for a time. I thought she was gone."

"Grief will do that to you. Sometimes people lose perspective of what truly matters when they have something that weighs heavily on their minds. I'll look after her. Don't worry."

That night Ned and his wife shared a bed for the first time in a long time. She was a bit afraid at first to take off her clothes.

"I have a lot of scars now, Ned. The are not pretty."

"I don't care. Everything about you is pretty. Even your scars." He started trailing all the wounds and cuts with his finger. "They haven't healed yet. Do you think it could help if I kissed them?"

"I'm sure it could." She said teasingly.

"That assassin really did a number on you. Is he still in the dungeons?" When she nodded he added "I'll go pay him a visit tomorrow"

"Ned, don't talk about him now." She kissed him on the lips. "Maester Lwuin said there are some things I cannot do yet, but I know there are many things I can most definitely do" she said kissing her husband's chest and then disappeared under the covers.

The following morning, the family were breaking their fast in the Main Room when a guard interrupted.

"Milord, milady, the boy has awaken. Master Lwuin is with him."

They left everything on the table and ran to Bran's room. Master Lwuin was helping him sit up when they arrived.

"Bran, my baby, you're awake!" Catelyn said hugging and kissing her son

"Mother. Father. What happened?"

"You fell, sweetling, from the tower" his mother told him. "You hurt yourself pretty badly and were sleeping for a long time."

"How do you feel Bran?" his father asked him.

"Fine, I guess. My arms feel tired and so do my legs."

"That's because you haven't used them in a long time. As you start walking and using your arms you will feel better, my child" Maester Lwuin said.

"Can you get up?" his father asked helping him out of the bed.

When he was on his feet he said "I didn't fall. I was pushed."

"Arya, close the door, now!" Ned said. "What happened Bran?"

"I'm tired, can I sit?" His father helped him to sit on the bed. "I'm thirsty", he continued and his mother wasted no time getting him water from the table next to his bed.

"Here you are, sweetling," Then she added "We don't have to do this now. Let's make sure you're fine and then we can talk about what you remember."

"I would like to inspect the boy" said Maester Lwuin.

"Alright, everybody out. Let's leave Maester Lwuin to do his job" said Ned firmly and shoved everybody out of the room.

"He is fine Ned" Catelyn said in tears "He's going to be alright".

Ned and Catelyn waited outside Bran's room together with their children and Theon. Arya and Rickon were already making plans to include Bran such as going horse riding and fishing on the river, and commenting on how it was a shame Jon was gone since he was always such fun. Rickon wanted Bran to teach him how to climb. Sansa was talking about a cloak she was going to knit for Bran. Theon and Robb were discussing that maybe it was time to include Bran in their sparring practices.

Maester Lwuin came out of the room and they all fell silent. "The boy seems fine. His motor skills are slow but I believe he will make a full recovery with exercise and patience. He can move his arms and legs and move all his fingers and toes. I don't see any physical damage. His mental process seem unaffected, as well. He's speaking normally. I asked him some questions to which he replied perfectly. He says he remembers the accident and is asking for you."

"Thank you" said Ned and they all ran into the room.

"Bran!" "You're awake" "You're going to be fine" yelled the children as they went in.

"Give him some space. Bran, how are you feeling?"

"I think I'm fine, Father."

"What do you remember about the accident?"

"I was climbing the wall, as I always did and then I heard noises coming from the window. It sounded like two people fighting. When I got closer I saw them. It was the Queen and her brother. They were naked and playing fight. I don't think they were truly wrestling. But when they saw me they stopped and the Kingslayer pushed me down"

"They were wrestling naked. Oh, that's disgusting" said Rickon

"I told you" added Theon pointing at Robb and Lady Stark.

"Well, let us all rejoice in the fact that Bran is awake and will be fine again. You'll be all playing in the yard in no time."

Later that night Ned and Catelyn were talking in bed.

"So, what do we do now?" asked Catelyn. "We know what those two were doing up in the tower. We know they tried to kill Bran not once but twice. Ned, you can't go back to King's Landing. Especially since Cersei knows we know."

"How can she know?"

"I … I may have sent a letter" she said and suddenly became very interested in the floor.

"A letter? Cat, what letter? I'm here, I'm not on the floor" he asked lifting her chin.

"When we sent the raven to King's Landing I also sent a letter to the Queen."

"What did the letter say?"

"That was after we had caught the assassin and learned who was behind it. I was very polite. I didn't accuse her of anything. I addressed it to Cersei _Baratheon_, not Lannister, since that is her real name, I _thanked_ her for the gift, the lovely blade, and told her that I _hoped_ one day I could return the favor, signed her _friend_ Catelyn Stark"

"No, you didn't accuse her. You just mocked her and threatened her".

"I didn't …I did", she admitted. "Ned, you were not here. You have no idea how I was feeling, what was going through my head."

"I have some idea …. Cat, you're one of the most rational and practical people I know. What happened to that sweet sensible girl I met in Riverrun?"

"She met the Lannisters"

"Well, we'll deal with his tomorrow. I'll send a letter to Robert. I'll explain everything and I'll tell him I am not coming back to King's Landing"

He hugged his wife tightly. How he had missed this. Sleeping snuggled with his wife; her head on his shoulder, her hand on his back, his hand on her hair and her legs between his legs. If he went back to King's Landing he would never have this again. He couldn't leave, not again.

TBC


	5. A Different Kind of Justice

**_Thank you all for the massive response. Thank you for reading and following my story, for the reviews and for marking it as a favourite. _**

**_Here's the last chapter. I hope you like it ..._**

**_._**

**_5. A Different Kind of Justice_**

_From: Lord Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell_

_To: King Robert Baratheon. _

_Dear Robert, _

_As you well know, before we left Winterfell and you made me Hand of the King, my son had a terrible accident. He fell from a tower and did not wake up. _

_As you well know, a few weeks after we had left Winterfell, my house suffered an attack. _

_Yet, what you do not know and I have only just found out myself, is the people and the reason behind the attack. It was an assassination attempt on my son. My wife thwarted the attack and fought with the assassin. Under questioning, he admitted he had been sent by your wife, Queen Cersei and her brother Ser Jamie Lannister to kill my son to prevent him from waking. _

_Thank the Gods he did wake up and he remembered his accident. He was climbing the tower, as he always did, and came across your wife and her brother sharing an intimate moment. Fearing being discovered they pushed him out of the window. When that failed, they sent an assassin to silence him. But the gods were in our favour again and that also failed. _

_It is for these reasons that I decline the position as Hand of the King. I cannot go back to King's Landing and act as Hand of the King knowing what your wife and your brother in law have done to my family. I respectfully ask to be permitted to stay in my house, where I belong, with my family._

_I also request my daughter Sansa's betrothal to you son Price Joffrey be annulled. _

_I am leaving a contingent of my guard in King's Landing for the City Watch as a token of my loyalty to you, my King. _

_Yours truly, _

_Eddard Stark_

"Damn you Ned!" shouted Robert and brought his fist down on the table. "And damn you Cersei! I curse the day I married you! I curse you and your damned family!"

He was about to burn the letter but then decided against it. He might have need of it in the future. Now he needed a new Hand. There was only one possible choice, and he needed to act fast before the Lannisters force him to appoint Ser Jamie or any other Lannister. He sat down on his desk and wrote two letters: one for Ned and one for his brother Stannis, his new Hand of the King.

.

Ned sat in his solar reading the parchment that had just arrived.

_From: King Robert Baratheon_

_To: Lord Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North. _

_Dear Lord Stark, _

_I hereby annul your appointment as Hand of the King. You will remain as Lord Stark of Winterfell, Warden of the North. The betrothal between your daughter Sansa and my son Joffrey shall also be considered null and void. _

_Your King, _

_Robert Baratheon_

The raven had also brought another parchment, an unofficial one.

_Dear Ned, _

_What a fucked up situation this is. I understand your reasons for not wanting to come back, and I have no doubts they could be true. First of all, I was glad to hear Bran is alright. Ned, stay there, stay with your lovely wife and your beautiful children. Unfortunately, when it comes to my wife and her family, my hands are tied. I can't do anything to them. We'll just pretend none of this ever happened. I kept the letter you sent me as insurance. I have talked to both of them, Cersei and Jamie, and warned them to steer clear of you and yours. I warned them that if anything should happen to you and your family, regardless what it is, the blame would fall on them. I wish I had married your sister instead. _

_Your friend, _

_Robert. _

"As if none of this ever happened?" Catelyn cried outraged. "They tried to murder our son twice! The second time they almost killed me. And he will just do nothing? They will escape punishment! There is no justice, Ned. No justice."

"You're right. There is no justice. But there is bliss. And that is what we have. Come on, let me enjoy _my lovely wife and my beautiful children_" he said and took her hands in his.

They stood next to each other by the window looking at their family in the yard. Theon and Robb sparring with Jory and other boys. Bran practicing his archery skills. Arya chasing Rickon, playing with other children of the castle. Sansa enjoying her sewing lessons with her friends. Yes, life was indeed beautiful, Ned thought to himself.

THE END

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I hope you liked the story. I decided to give them peace instead of that bloody war that tore their family apart.

I would appreciate it if you could leave me a few words to let me know what you think.

Thanks.


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